Why buy an artificial tree? One reason should be enough: it saves you from all the maintenance required to keep a real tree, without compromising on the aesthetic department!

You will never have to worry about watering it, supplying the right kind of fertilizer, or making sure it gets the required amount of sunlight; all you have to do is dust it from time to time. Isn't that every tree-lover's most cherished dream?

If you need more reason to be convinced about going for an artificial tree, how about the fact that it will also never require the tedious task of trimming, which you have to keep doing to your real trees, to prevent them from overgrowing your home? It will also free you from climactic restrictions of botany, letting you have a palm tree in your home in Alaska as easily as you might have a conifer in Hawaii.

Artificial trees that you get these days look almost as real as a live tree. But if you want something truly awesome, check out what is called a preserved tree. Artificial trees are generally made of plastic and other synthetic material, but a preserved tree, in contrast, is made by assembling natural materials around an empty trunk. The look is stunningly authentic, and your guests won't be able to distinguish it from a live tree by either touch or smell.

The most common of artificial trees is the palm. An artificial palm tree can come in all types, shapes, and sizes, both synthetic and preserved. Here is a step-by-step guide to help you pick the one best for you:

1. You can have either a floor plant or a full-size tree. The height of a floor plant varies between two and four feet. A full-size tree will begin from five feet, and can go up to as high as you want.

Table fake palm trees fall under floor plants, but they are generally small versions of the full-sized tree. The size of this will be approximately three feet. These look the best on a table, but can also be put at an entry way or a reception area with limited space. While buying, these will come in a basic basket or pot, but you can add to the aesthetic effect by replacing the pot with a large decorative planter. Cover the top with artificial greenery like moss or grass.

Full-sized artificial palm trees come both with a pot and without. You can order any size, though the most popular size is from five to six feet. Both potted and un-potted trees can be put in a decorative planter. For an un-potted tree, a nice touch will be surrounding the trunk with decorative rock. A large tree will have more space around the trunk, so let your creativity run wild as you fill this up with greenery.


2. Most of us might be unaware of this but palm trees (in reality) come in many different species, so you get a number of different types of artificial varieties as well. Of these, the Areca Palm and the Coconut Palm are the most popular. It'll help to do some research on the way you want your palm to look before ordering that artificial tree.

3. The Christmas tree is probably the first artificial tree to be made. Artificial Christmas trees these days don't only look incredibly realistic, but also come in completely decorated versions. For example, you can buy a pre-lit tree that already has the lights set up on it, or you can have one fixed with glitter and/or snow in the branches. The best type of pre-lit tree available is the fiber optic tree.

The needles in this tree are made of the same material as fiber optic lights, so you'll never need to replace a bulb or worry that the lights may get too hot for safety. If you are bored with your Christmas tree being always green, you can even look for trees in all colors from white to purple and blue.